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Hosted by Molly Wood, “Marketplace Tech” demystifies the digital economy. The daily show uncovers how tech influences our lives in unexpected ways and provides context for listeners who care about the impact of tech, business and the digital world.

Are we entering a tech cold war with China?

The U.S. and China continue to lob salvos at each other over trade. The tech industries of both countries are kind of caught in the middle. Huawei, the jewel in China’s tech crown, is weighing options in the wake of Google’s decision to cut ties with the company. It comes after a decision by the Trump administration to ban dealings with Huawei. There’s been a temporary reprieve, which is just adding to the air of uncertainty for tech companies doing business in China. But there’s a wider question being asked: Are we entering a new tech cold war? Jed Kim talked with Ina Fried, chief technology correspondent for Axios.

Can tech help protect aging brains from online scams?

We’re all being hit constantly with spam callers, online phishing attacks, scams and other fraud attempts. But there’s medical evidence that otherwise healthy older people might become more vulnerable to these attacks. Molly Wood talks with David Brancaccio, host of “Marketplace Morning Report,” who has been reporting on how our defenses get weaker as our brains age. He said some researchers are figuring out how technology is used to scam people and how that same tech could be used to protect them.

Fake pictures of faces are getting much harder to detect

Artificial intelligence is bringing us so-called “deep fakes” — very believable pictures that aren’t just altered, they’re completely made up. Combating disinformation online is a mission for Professor Jevin West at the University of Washington Information School. He co-created the site WhichFaceIsReal.com. It shows you two pictures at a time, and you pick which one is real. Marketplace’s Jed Kim asked West why it’s important to be able to spot fake people.

“Ethical hacker” is a big and growing job

So, you’ve got your computer science degree, and you’re choosing your path. It might well lead to hacking … the “good” kind. Gary Rivlin is a journalist and author of the new book “Becoming an Ethical Hacker.” Jed Kim talks with Rivlin about getting to know several of the field’s top information security professionals, who are out to do good and earn practical rewards, too.

Startups looking for funding now have more options

Venture capital firms that were invested in Lyft, Uber and Pinterest just got paid when those companies went public. These big VC firms will now have more to invest, and they’ll get more powerful. But the venture industry is changing. There are lots more smaller players like angel investors, for one. Host Molly Wood talked with Jason Calacanis, a tech entrepreneur and angel investor who got in on Uber when it was still a pipe dream, about how startup funding is evolving.